Oh for goodness sake, my advice is to get a new KD! That's all b.s. Full insets don't need constant or in my experience, even periodic adjusting, it's all about the hinges. Hinges are hinges, inset or not. Painted cabs are easy to keep clean, you'll see where the dirt is right away and it wipes right off. I'm not single but only have one very, very messy 4 year old and I cook.

I agree with you in loving the contrast between painted cabs and wood floors. White cabs are just as practical and impractical as anything else. However, white painted maple is about as durable as it gets, I think it's a wonderful choice! Please, get what YOU want, that's YOUR kitchen!

White kitchen are by far the most popular. I have white dove painted maple. We just remodeled this past year after 15 years with an original to the house kitchen. My daughters are in college and my kitchen does not have the wear of small children running in and out. I have not found chipping yet but yes it you accidentally wack it, you could chip it. There was some damage done when we had an installation error. We used a company that does retouching and also they do a overall cleaning all of your cabinets. Maybe others can weigh in who have wood cabinets. What happens to the surface if they get dinged?
Also, maybe those who have young children and who have had their white cabinets in place for a few years can offer their experiences? That said, I am with you. I love my white cabinets!

I love white painted kitchens, had them in my previous home, however in our current home I let the KD and hubby influence me... (KD shot down my love of painted cabinets) and I went with Cherry stained cabinets. They are beautiful, everyone loves them.. EXCEPT ME! I have regretted it since the day they were installed! Thankfully, we are going to be building again, and lesson learned.. this time, I WILL have my beautiful, white painted cabinets!

Thank you all for your feedback.

Rookie - Thanks for the encouragement! Would concealed hinges be more difficult to stay aligned?

Ellendi - White Dove is my choice as well. Do you know what paint would be best to use? Oil or Latex? What about topcoats?

Tinker - What happened to you is exactly what I had nightmares about last night. My heart has been set on the beauty of white painted cabinets for so long, and based on his feedback, my mind has been a constant whirl trying to come up with an alternative that I'll be happy with! However, no matter how hard I try to convince myself that I'll be happy with a different look, I am terrified that I, too, will regret my decision!!!

Please keep the feedback coming!

You know what you want--stick to white!!! I only wish I knew what I wanted--painted or stained??????

My cabinets are Dura Supreme. They use a water based paint which means it should not yellow with age.

I wanted white painted inset cabinets. First cabinet rep I talked to said, "too expensive, cuts down on space inside, blah, blah, blah." Second cabinet guy I talked to did custom cabinets. He said, "too expensive, cuts down on space, blah, blah, blah." Third cabinet rep I talked to said, "No problem. And Medallion is having a sale on them right now." Guess who I went with. We've had our white painted inset cabinets for about 6 months now and they are EXACTLY what I wanted. My advice--keep looking until you find someone who will help you get the kitchen you want.

I have 4 boys.. ages 3, 5, 5 and 14.... I got dove white color , well it is called divinity with the company I used ( Mouser) and I find it practical because you DO see dirt that you would not see on a stain, so with a damp cloth or soapy cloth or furniture polish I wipe it each day ... Mine are inset too..with exposed hinges..
the best lesson I learned since I got marble , polished nickel faucet and hardware ....all the things everyone tried to talk me out of.. is GO WITH WHAT YOU WANT.. not what they tell you for "practical" ,..... it is all good and you will regret not getting what you want.. I actually changed my hardware and faucet to satin nickel because everyone told me it is more practical and changed my counters to quartz... I am soo glad at that last hour and changed everything to exactly what I wanted from day 1. I have no regrets and it was due to the support of people on here that I had the courage to just go with it regardless of what the salespeople said

My GC & KD tried persuading me to stained cabinets too, because they're cheaper, but my heart was set on white cabinets and I'm so glad I did! The cabinets were installed last week... anxiously awaiting the granite to be installed now... but I LOVE LOVE LOVE my white cabinets!
There are two ways I was told that the cabinet maker applies the paint on: one way is to bake the paint into the wood, so the paint is more resistant to chipping (aka more expensive) and the other way is to just apply paint on the doors (which is what we had before). Since my remodel isn't finished, I can't vouch for the baked-on method just yet, but we had white cabinets before that were just painted and that chipped A LOT, mainly because we didn't have hardware on the cabinets back then.
Anyway, we have baked-on white, full-inset cabinets now. I'll agree with the alignment of the full-inset~ most doors are not aligned at the moment, slightly crooked, with gaps in the middle of the doors. But my KD assured me that they will be adjusted after everything else goes in so that they will be perfectly aligned (I'm really big on those kind of details!).
I would say go with your heart; you're paying for the remodel and you should get what you want. The painted cabinets are more expensive, yes, but you'll be looking at them EVERY DAY for the next decade or so, so it should be something you'll enjoy looking at. I'm in my kitchen everyday now just happily looking at everything because I'm so in love with my the white cabinets! Even though the project isn't even remotely finished yet!

I have/had a wonderful KD that was so supportive when my husband and I thought we wanted lighter, stained cabinets so I started on a trek to find a granite. I looked & looked & looked & looked . . . I couldn't find anything that I felt would let the kitchen flow (& compliment) the rest of the house. So after months I went back to the KD & said, "If I gave you cart banche what would you recommend?" Her answer was cream colored cabinets (SW Casa Blanca) with dry brush glaze (Van Dyke). I say all this because I always paused on those kitchens with painted cabinets so I think I really wanted it & this is what flows with our house. Our cabinets are gorgeous & I can't imagine my kitchen any other way.

To answer your question about finish: make sure your cabinet maker finishes the cabinets with a polyurethene over the paint. Mine used oil paint, but finished with the polyurethene. This will make it tougher & easier to clean. We had painted cabinets (by painters) in another house & were replacing them here & they did chip -- another reason we were leaning away from painted. But they were not finished in a shop or manufacturing environment & with a strong sealing finish.

The KD did recommend that we stain the island (we did) since "stain tends to hold up better than paint" & being in the middle of the room tends to get more "wear & tear". I have 2 boys, ages 9 & 10.

What I will also say one cabinet maker described inset cabinets to me (as information -- so not trying to talk me out of it or encourage me to do it) as somewhat difficult to add to an existing house since floors & walls have sometimes settled & may be difficult to get even & drawers & doors to fit correctly. For what my free advise is worth . . .

It sounds like your kitchen will be beautiful. Good luck!

Thanks again to everyone's feedback and advice! You all are so unbelievably helpful and are inspiring me to stick with my gut! I was unaware that paint can be baked on. The KDs I've consulted with spray the paint onto the cabinets and then apply the clear coat finish. Is this a major disadvantage?

Ajard and maks, how long have you had your cabinets? How was the paint applied (baked on or sprayed)? Oil or latex?

My cabinets were installed at the end of April. I would say I started using them in June and I DO COOK!!! I am not certain anymore about the paint finish procedures. I knew back when. I know that it is very different from a home depot brand. They are custom and I can find out. I found this about the finishes on their website:Our finish selections offer exquisite, heavily pigmented stains with a clear catalyzed sealer and topcoat for added durability and beauty.

There's no reason to think they wouldn't be durable! My Mom's tudor revival house built in 1932 has had white cabinets since 1932...and they are still just fine. A few new layers of paint, sure. Some chips, sure. But they look very nice especially for the age of the house and they are not dirty at all. That's what lysol is for.

White cabinets are not my style at all, but for a KD to tell you that they are impractical is one of the more ridiculous things I've heard. It's not a white pair of pants, for crying out loud! People have had white cabinets for a long, long time.

Maybe she's thinking of the particle board stuff? That stuff will look bad in about 2 years but I don't think that's what you are doing.

First I want to say WELCOME to GW Kitchens.

This is a great place. I am so glad you posted. There
are others just like you reading what you wrote and nervous
about posting their questions, fears, concerns, ideas,
opinions...Be proud you took the effort to post your
question. You are helping many.

I am a white kitchen fan and would say go for white.
I love my white, I enjoy my white kitchen and could not
imagine anything different. I would say 95% of GW white
kitchen owners love their white kitchens. You will too.
Get what you love and don't let anyone detract from your
desire.

It might be that your KD is getting a deal on stained
cab and wants the profit for herself not her customer.
I have worked with woodworkers who are always pushing
for the natural wood to be stained. My intense floor
guys think I am crazy for staining my floors as dark as
they can be stained. They are wood purists and think
everyone should live with only natural wood with a clear
glaze. (This is lovely for some but not my love).

The world is made up of many different kitchen fans. If you
are a white kitchen fan make your dream come true and get
your white kitchen. Keep shopping for a KD and visit
every white kitchen display you can so you can see for
yourself exactly what you want. And here is a little tip
that every white kitchen owner can agree too. The nice
thing about a white kitchen is when you spill anything,
( gravy, spaghitti sauce, jelly, cookie dough, cake batter
from a wild blender, red wine spilled from a party...)
YOU can see the stain and clean it immediately. On a wood
kitchen you might not see it for days. (or longer) White
shows the mess and is easier to get to.

Best wishes on your kitchen journey.
~boxerpups

I have had white cabs for 4 years now and wouldn't go back . I had my painter use BM paint as I wanted the brush marks which are in keeping with the 1890 era of my home. They have held up perfectly and I have no regrets. I just wipe them with a soapy cloth when I see spots.

We have no small ones around or pets but we sure do use our kitchen...you can search for Kitchen at Work threads. Get another KD and get what you want.

{{gwi:612474}}

WOW! What can I say??? GW Kitchens truly is one amazing group of helpful, talented, knowledgeable individuals and I look forward to getting to know you as a venture forward on this intimidating journey!

Boxerpups - thank you for the very kind welcome and words of encouragement. I have been inspired by you in many other posts that I've read through the past weeks, and your advice means the world. I will definitely "shop around" until I find a KD I feel comfortable working with.

Trailrunner - thanks for the pictures! Your kitchen is amazingly beautiful - very close to my dream! And, I can see clearly that you DO indeed use it!!! :) Have you had trouble with your inset doors and drawers staying aligned and not rubbing against the frames? Do all of your doors have exposed hinges? If so, do you think that this helps with the alignment issue (vs. concealed hinges)? I was really leaning towards concealed soft-close hinges, but if it's going to cause a problem with keeping my door panels aligned, perhaps I'll rethink this. That was the KDs biggest concern with the painted finish and inset cabinets. He said that when they start rubbing against the frames, that's what will really wear the paint away.

What do the rest of you think about the hinge issue?

kharamarie: I am glad you like it and that it helps with your decisions. that is why a lot of us still post here after all these years is to offer assistance and longevity .

My doors and drawers have never rubbed . The glass doors that you see in my kitchen are in reality salvaged Arts and Craft windows that my cab guy made into cabinet doors. I wanted exposed hinges to look like what would have been in that era. I wish I had spent more money on them for the looks as these were incredibly cheap. My cab guy had them so I went with it as I was really spending a lot and wanted to save. Maybe someday I will change them to fancy antique ones but these have been perfect and nothing has ever needed aligning.

I have seen the concealed hinges and heard several folks have issues with getting them lined up but I don't know about that from personal experience . You could do a separate post about hinges and see what you get in the way of info. Good Luck and welcome...feel free to ask anything. c

I painted my dark cabinets white by myself. I used BM Aura at the recommendation of the people at the paint forum and I used BM sparkling wine at the suggestion of Funcolors who gave me great advice on a warm white. The experience was very easy. I cleaned and sanded one day and primed interiors and exteriors the next day. Waited 2 days and did the final paint job. It came out gorgeous. I can't say enough for the Aura paint. I wash it off and it's like new. I'm so glad I took the chance and did it. My kitchen is so much cheerier and I enjoy it much more.

I just ordered my white custom cabinets - my painter (not the cabinet guy) told me to get them lacquered not just spray painted with oil paint. He said if you just get them sprayed they will immediately start to yellow due to heat etc. in the kitchen. I have a built-in cabinet in another part of the house and it is lacquered - it has really stood up to lots of abuse.

The baked-on thing is supposed to be even more durable than the lacquer but I live in California and they do not permit it here due to environmental laws. My understanding is most every other state it is permitted.

I heard the same story about the inset cabinets - I went with frameless full overlay mostly due to space issues - I really need the space. I talked to neighbors who had the inset and they do have trouble with their cabinets - they are constantly adjusting them - but we live in a part of the city with lots of clay soil and so our houses are constantly moving with expansion/contraction. I didn't want to deal with that with cabinets - but you may not have that issue where you live. Do you have trouble with doors sticking in your house? If your house doesn't have lots of movement then you probably won't have an issue with the inset. It is such a nice look - do it if you can!

I agree with everyone - get what you want. I have lost a few battles due to the wear and tear argument (we have two young boys and our kitchen gets lots of use) - no marble counters or fireclay sink - but I was not going to budge on the white cabinets. Stand your ground!

Amac514 - What do you mean by lacqured? Do you mean paint sprayed on and then applied with a topcoat?

For what it's worth, while we don't have white cabinets, we have white everything else in our house---all painted with BM oil-based paint. I spent this weekend battling with it to try to get some spots patched---got new paint, same color, in water-based. Big mistake---different finish, different color! Happily I managed to dig up one last can of oil-based in the basement. I'd go with oil-based or lacquer for kitchen cabinets.

So I can say:

- Oil-based *does* yellow. Unfortunately for us, we love the yellowed color since it turns the shade into a creamy white---the original mix is too white! Oh, well.

- The oil-based finish is (I think) easier to clean and wipe down. I couldn't get the water-based to a finish I was happy with.

- White does show dirt, which is probably really only an issue if you have kids and/or pets. Our dog is the biggest offender because he likes to rest his head on window sills, and those get gross. Less of an issue in the kitchen, though. I wipe it down in the problem spots periodically, and occasionally put some touchup paint on.

- If the paint chips, you can sometimes see the patch if you look closely. I don't think it's that big a deal, though.

- The adjustment thing depends in part on your house and your climate. We do have problems with some of our doors and casework, but it's mostly as a result of an old house settling and things swelling in rainy season, not of the paint per se. (My parents have similar issues in New England with their stained inset cabinets from a relatively costly custom cabinet company.) We're still getting flush inset in the kitchen though---we just know what to watch for. A good cabinetmaker should be able to do flush inset with clearances that will accommodate that with minimal adjusting. We did go with frameless for our most frequently used cabinets for that reason, though.

Hope that helps somewhat!

Amac514, I live in CA too! Where about are you located? Yes, my GC mentioned that baked-on cabinets were not allowed to be manufactured in CA, but he sources cabinetry from reputable out-of-state cabinet makers so I was able to get the finish I wanted. Since I had painted cabinets before the remodel, the paint did chip over time (I've had them for around 15 years so they've been through quite a lot!). I'm really hoping that the baked-on approach will help reduce the chipping issue! *Cross my fingers!*

As for adjusting inset, in my last house I had one cab that during the worst heat/humidity spell I had to actually close one door not just tap it shut. Now I live in a very humid area and a couple of my insets needed some adjusting the first summer, 3 yrs ago and no adjusting since. Our furniture is also inset and never needed adjustment. Get what you want.

eandhl - do you have concealed hinges?

kharamarie: Good Luck with your decision! I am glad you posted the question since I have just ordered white painted inset cabinets for my kitchen. I have always wanted and loved the look so it was not a tough decision for me. But like everything else, you always wonder if you made the right choice. Time will tell. They should arrive in a few weeks.
My question for you and anyone else, are you using a different look on your island? I am leaning toward going with a espresso color on maple (almost black) as a contrast to the white. My floors are a dark cherry color, lots of variation. I think it will work, but I have some doubts.
Good luck with your kitchen!

Tangy: Unfortunately, I don't have room for an island in my kitchen, but I love the idea of the dark wood against the white. What will your perimeter countertops be?

I am planning to use soapstone!

Another vote to stick with your love of white, and I agree about getting a different KD. Like others, I also suspect he is getting a better deal for himself on the stained than on the painted. Unfortunately this is the case with too many contractors, and you have to be alert to find the right ones.

We had white cabinets with a glaze in our last kitchen. I LOVED IT. In fact it shows stains, spatters, general kitchen stuff less than wood. The kitchen in our new house is maple stained cherry and those things show every little mark and fingerprint and grease spatter. I am about to have them painted -- white!

Have fun picking out your new white kitchen!